Life-preserver.



No. 65l,l69. Patented June 5, I900.

.1. c. F. BUCK.

LIFE PRESERVERQ (Application filed Oct. 24, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

. thus producing a suction of water through an Nl'TED STATES JOIIANNES CARL FRIEDRICH RUOK, OF WVESSELBUREN, GERMANY.

LIFE-PR:

'sPEcrFIcArioiv forming art er Letters Application fi led October 24, 1899.

T0 ctZZ whom it mcty concern:

Be it known that I, J OHANNES CARL FRIED- RICH RUGK, gentleman, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Wesselburen, Province of schleswig Holstein, in the Empire of Germany, haveinvente'd certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Life-Belts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a life-saving or floating belt provided with a small gas-generator for supplying gas in order to inflate thebelt. The principle involved in this invention is that of using in connection with an empty or hollow belt an acetylene or other gas generator which starts working directly it comes in contact with the water and then fills with gas the empty belt, which is adapted to be worn upon the body. Furthermore, novel means are provided for starting the acetylene-gas generator. This starting is eifected by causing the pressure of the water to act upon a suitable locking device and so disengage a helical spring previously compressed. The action of the spring causes an enlargement of internal space after the manner of bellows,

appropriate valve,whi1e sim ultaneously therewith a hermetically-closed box containing calcium carbid is disengaged and caused to eject its contents into the waterj ust entered. The pressure developed from the rapid generation of acetylene gas closes the water-inlet valve and the gas itself passes through a non-return valve into the life-belt.

Instead of calcium carbid any other material may be employed which is capable of gen erating gas when brought into contact with water. 7

The improvement is shown in the accom-- panyin g drawings on a slightly-enlarged scale.

Figure 1 illustrates a section of the appa ratus. Fig. 2 is a view of the carbid-box in its disengaged position. Fig. 3 is a section on the line A A of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 and 5 show a front and side eleyation, respectively, of a disengaging mechanism.

The outer casing a of the acetylene-generator connected with the life-belt ,is fixed, by means of'a perforated screw-ring b, to a plate 0 and is closed at top by a screwed cover d. The casing a is furthermore divided bya false SERVER.

Patent a... 651,169, dated June 5, 1900.

Serial No. 784,619. ea model.)

bottom or division-plate e into two compartmentsin which rubber disks or membranes f and g form separation-walls for the chainbers h and 2' and 7a and Z, respectively. Above the rubber disk g, which is firmly gripped between the upper edge of the casing a and the screw-cover d, is a circular plate m, adapted to participate in the movements of the rubber disk g'. Both'the parts g and m are secured to a centrally-arranged screw-bolt n, to the upper conical end of which is attacheda rubber sleeve 0, held in position by a conical ring 0. This elastic sleeve 0 allows the rubber disk g to have free movement, the lower end of said sleeve being placed over a tubular socket q in connection with the bottom plate 6.

In the chamber is are two movable covers r and s, the upper one when the belt is inflated pressing against the rubber disk g and the lower one resting upon a tubular body 2, widened atits lower end and supported in the plate 6. Both the said covers rand s are formed with double sockets 1t and o, respectively, adapted to engage the one in the other (see Fig. l) and to receive a helical spring to, which tends to separate the two covers 7' 8. To the exterior of the double socket it of the cover r is screwed the carbid-box, which is shown closed in Fig. 1 and opened in Fig. 2. This box consists of an outer annular casing 00, open at bottom and adapted to receive a circular drawer 3/ open only at its outer periphery and having an aperture z in the bottom ring for filling in the carbid. After the two portions have been placed one in the other a bottom plate 1, provided with rubber packing, is secured against the lower edge of the casing 00 by means ofvtwo or more bell-crank levers 2. These lovers 2 are pivoted at 3 and their lower ends are each engaged with a clamp 4, pivoted to the bottom plate 1, while the free end of the other arm rests against a catch 5, fixed to the plate m. The bell-crank levers 2 thus by means of the clamps 4 keep the two portions wandy locked, while a spiral spring 6 in the upper portion has the tendency to force out the carbid-filled portion ordrawer y from its outer casing 09. Upon the drawer 'y being forced out a flat coiled spring7 in the interior thereof ejects all the carbid.

In the casinga is further provided a waterinlet valve 8 and a gas-outlet valve 9, both being non-return valves, the former being adapted to let water into the apparatus, but preventing either water or gas from escaping, and the latter valve 9 allowing of the gas from the generator passing into the life-belt without possibility of returning.

In the chamber his pivoted at 15 a cranked lever16, the longest arm of which is pressed by a spring 10 against the lower rubber disk or membrane f. This lever in conjunction with suitable link mechanism keeps the bolt n in its lower position, and thereby causes the helical spring 10 to be kept in compression between the two covers 1' ands, as will be readily understood from Fig. 1. The link mechanism for controlling the bolt n is shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. To the short arm of the lever 16 there is pivoted a draw-bar 2, which by means of two short links 11 is connected to two pivot-pins 13, which latter in their locked position (see Fig. 1) project slightly to the right beyond the axial line of the bolt 02. The said pivot-pins 13 also unite together the links 14 and 18, the former of which are hinged to the lower end of the bolt 92, While the links 18 are secured to pins 19, fixed in the bottom plate e, Fig. 5. In this manner a slight pull on the draw-bar 12 toward the left (see Fi 1) by the water-pressure upon the long free arm of the lever 16 suffices to bring the link mechanism into the position shown in Fig. 4cin other words, to release the bolt a and enable the helical spring 10 to'come into operation.-

The manner of operating is shortly as follows: The acetylene or other gas generator connected by the tube 17 with the life-belt reaches the water at the same time as the latter, whereupon water rushes through the perforations in the screwed ring I) into the chamber t. The water-pressure acts against the rubber disk f, and therefore also against the lever 16, causi'ngthis latter to disengage the belt at. The bolt then is forced upward and separates the covers 9' and sfrom each other. This produces an enlargement of space, with the result that water is drawn in through the non-return valve 8 into compartment 70. The plate m has a slight movement independent of the cover 1 and the parts carried thereby, so that it moves slightly before the cover 'r moves. This causes the catches 5 to strike the free ends of. the bell-crank levers 2 and impart motion thereto around their pivots The clamp 4 becomes disengaged from the plate 1 'lhereu-pon an immediate and forcible generation of acetylene gas takes place, which flows in the direction indicated by arrows in Fig. 1

and which finally passes through the non-re turn valve 9 and pipe 17 into the life-belt, and so inflates the same.

What I claim is 1. An inflating device for a life-belt comprising a casing, a separable holder for the gas-generating substance, a locking device therefor, means for admitting a liquid and means for causing an actuation of the locking device and a release of said substance.

2. The combination of a casing, a divided telescopic Cftll'lld-GODttlllBl, the outer box being open at its lower end and the inner one at the periphery, a spring for ejecting the inner one, expansible means and a locking device for said container controlled by the said expansible means.

3. An inflating device for a life-savingbelt, comprising a casin g, a holder for the gasrgencrating substance, a locking device therefor, means for admitting a liquid, a compressible spring disengaged by the pressure otthe liquid, and means for actuating the locking.dcvice and releasing said substance.

1. In a device of the characterdescribed, a casing, a holder for the gas generatingsnb stance, expansible means within the casing, an inlet for liquid and means whereby the entrance of the liquid serves to actuate said expansible means and produce an enlargment of space within the casing to create a suction therein.

5. In a device of the character described, a casing, a holder for the gas-generating sub+ stance, a locking clevice therefor, expansible meanswithin the casing constructed to unlock said lockingdevice, an inletfor liquid andsa compressible device released by the actuation of said locking device.

6. In a device of thecharacterdescribed, a casing, a lockin g device, a compressible device and means whereby the admission of a liquid will actuate said locking device and release the compressed device to start the generator.

7. In a device of the character described a casing, a locking device, a compressibledevice, a hermetically-closed holder for the gasgenerating substance constructed to be released by the release of said compressible deactuate the locking device and release the compressed device.

9. In a device of the character described, a casing, a locking device, compressible means, and means for locking the same in its compressed condition and actuated-by the pressure of the inflowing liquid, a carbidholder and means for ejecting the carbid as the holder is released by the actuation of said compressible means. 7

10. In the life-saving or floating belt in combination with an acetylene or other gas generator two rubber disks or membranes g and f of which the first is for the purpose of compressing the helical spring w through the intervention of a bolt 11 and suitable link mechanism 11, 13, 18, 19, 14, is coupled with a cranked lever 16 the free end of which is in contact with the other rubber disk or membrane f in such a manner that the Water entering through the perforations in the screwring I) presses against the disk f and thus acts upon the link mechanism for freeing the bolt n so as to enable the helical spring 20 to expand and come into operation.

11. In the life-saving and floating belt in combination with an acetylene or other gasgenerator a divided carbid-container, consisting of an outer box or casing 00 and an inner box or drawer y the outer one of which is open at its lower end and the inner one at its periphery, they being normally placed one in the other and locked until a spiral spring 6 in the outer casing is allowed to eject the inner box or drawer and discharge the calcium carbid-into the water drawn into the interior.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 9th day of October, 1899.

JOHANNES CARL FRIEDRICH RUOK.

Witnesses:

E. H. L. MUMMENHOFF, W. N. GoLDscHMID'r. 

